A self-acclaimed Commissioner of Police, Mr Nwagu Emmanuel was arrested at the Lagos State Police Command, Ikeja Lagos, where he had gone to effect the release of a detained suspect.
The suspect who was reportedly found with a Walkie Talkie, was paraded alongside 12 others arrested in different parts of Lagos, for various crimes.
Among the suspects was 62-year-old man, Ibrahim Bello, who reportedly stormed a Lagos court in full Lawyer’s regalia to hold a brief in a case, only to discover he was not a lawyer .
He was said to have been apprehended by members of the Nigerian Bar Association , NBA and handed over to the Police, when he could not answer some questions posed at him.
Explaining how the duo were arrested, the Command spokesman, SP Benjamin Hudenyin, said, “ “On September 2, 2023 at about 4:40pm, Nwagu Emmanuel visited a police premises and introduced himself as a Commissioner of Police. He was fully regarded as such but upon questioning he was discovered to be an impersonator.
“A search was conducted at his abode where a Deputy Commissioner of Police and an Assistant Commissioner of Police warrant cards,including a Kenwood walkie-talkie, police camouflage singlet and face cap, were recovered”.
But when accosted, the suspect told Reporters that he had never been enlisted into the Nigeria Police.
He said “ I have never served in any police formation. Honestly I was drunk on that day. I drove into the police station with my friend who lives nearby. He wanted me to introduce him to the Area Commander so I went there to introduce him to the Commander.
“The ID cards were given to me by one ASP ABBA, a policeman whom I used. to know. He also gave me a police vest and a cap when he was guarding our hotel. I paid him N2,000 for the two ID cards. But the Walkie Talkie belongs to my church. I started using it last year.
“ I once presented them to V.I.O officials when I was booked for a traffic offence. But I still paid because they insisted , since my license had expired”.
On his part, 62-year-old Bello who claimed to be an estate agent said, “ Whenever I collect any litigation in my office and give them to lawyers to appear in court for me, they would advise me to take it up and appear in the court for them. It was on one of the occasions when I went to the court to see if the lawyers I gave the job to were in Court that I was arrested”.
Asked where he got the wig and robe from, he replied, “ I bought them and kept them in the office so that whenever a lawyer does not have a robe, I would take it to the court for him. As for the law books , I bought them to be read because I love reading “.
